Apparatus for extracting liquid from liquid-bearing material



Dec. 28, 1954 5, w, MaclLwAlNE 2,697,978

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM LIQUID-BEARING MATERIAL Filed April3, 1951 IN VEN TOR.

d1 1,, M B Y APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM LIQUID-BEARINGMATERIAL :Gordon Wilson Macllwainesouthwold, Brough, England ApplicationApril 3, 1951, Serial No. 218,931

--2 Glaims. (Cl. 100-107 This invention relates to an improved apparatusfor extracting liquid from liquid bearing material, such as oil fromvegetable seeds, of the type in which the material is subjected topressure in a ported cylinder by means of a rotating worm elementdisplacing the material axially thereof.

Apparatus of this type have usually comprised a ported cylinder and amulti-convolution worm rotating therein, forcing the material axiallyalong the cylinder from the feed end to an outlet opening where thematerial is ejected, usually in the form of cake suitable for thefeeding of animals.

An object of the present invention is to provide a more eflicientremoval of the liquid content from the oil-bearing seed, dye-containingbark or the like material, and a further object is to reduce themechanical power necessary for the operating of the machine.

According to the present invention, material to be substantiallyrelieved of its liquid content is fed to the annular space between apair of coaxial cylinders, one or both of which is or are ported for theescape of liquid, and subject to pressure therein while displacedaxially thereof by means of a rotating impeller in the form of a wormsleeve having its end cut away as a single convolution of single ormultiple pitch.

The invention will be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawings showing one form of construction by way ofexample.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an apparatus, partly in section,

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the impeller,

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the development of the \operative surface ofthe impeller,

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

The apparatus is supported upon a base 1 by a skeleton frameworkcomprising a skeleton truncated cone member 2 resting upon the base 1and supporting a skeleton cylindrical member 3, surrounded by a collar4.

An impeller 5 in the form of a cylindrical sleeve, having a ridge 5asupporting a ball race 6 disposed within an annular space 7 defined bythe collar 4 and an inverted collar 8, is rotatable from a driving wheel9 on a shaft 10 mounted in a bearing 11 supported by collar 4, by meansof bevel gearing 12, 13. By means of chain and sprocket drive 14,connecting shaft 10 with a shaft 15, mounted in bearings 16 and 17supported on collar 4, driving wheel 9 also rotates a shaft 18 mountedat its outer end in a bearing 19 and driven from shaft through bevelgearing 20, 21.

Shaft 18, extending through the interior cylindrical chamber 5b ofimpeller 5, is provided with stirrer blades 22 and is mounted at itslower end in a bearing 23, which also acts as closure means for theupper end of an inner cylinder 24, supported by collar 25 on the base ofcone member 2. Shaft 18 and blades 22 together comprise a rotaryagitator and it will be appreciated that rotation of driving wheel 9causes impeller 5 and shaft 18 to rotate in opposite directions.

The lower end of impeller 5 is cut away as a convolution of double pitch26 to produce leading edges 26a, trailing edges 26b, recesses 26c andprojecting tongues 26d.

Liquid bearing material fed by suitable means, such as a chute (notshown), into cylindrical chamber 5b is pressed by rotating blades 22assisted by gravity into a Patented Dec. 28, 1954 ice confined spaceabove bearing 23 formed by recesses 260 of rotating impeller 5, bywhich, under the combined action of gravitational attraction andpressure exerted-by trailing edges 2612, the material is forcedthroughan annular space 27 between apair of coaxial cylinders, comprising'innercylinder 24 and an outercylinder 28 supported on cone member 2, beingdischarged via an an- 7 nular outlet 29.

The pressure exerted on the liquid bearing material in the above mannercauses the liquidcontentto exude from annular space 27 throughperforations 24a and 28a in cylinders 24 and 28 respectively. Liquidpassing through perforations 24a flows downthe inside of cylinder 24 andcollar 25 and through apertures Za, 1a in cone member 2 and base lrespectively to anwithdrawal conduit 30. Similarly, liquid passingthrough perforations 28a collects in an annular gutter 31 andiswithdrawn through a conduit 32.

The area of outlet 29 may be varied by means of an adjustable conicalobturating plug 33, seated on a ball race 34 supported on an annulardisc 35, loaded by means of a spring 36 in contact with a nut 37 inthreaded engagement with a sleeve 38 surrounding collar 25. Adjustmentof nut 37 controls the average pressure developed on the material inannular space 27, while the spring loading of plug 33 tends tocompensate for variations of pressure on the material.

Amongst the advantages resulting from use of the apparatus according tothe invention are the following:

(a) Whereas the orthodox type of expeller employs the Archimedian screwprinciple to a greater or less degree for the conveyance of the materialthrough the machine for oil-freeing purposes, and this Archimedian screwis surrounded by a porous unit through which oil percolation ispossible, the present apparatus employs a novel type impeller ofcylindrical form having a single convolution which can be made to inducematerial to travel under pressure between the outer and inner perforatedunits, thus the wear and tear on this impeller is taken over its length,and not its thickness, as is the case with the Archimedian screwthreads.

(b) When, as in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the impelleris disposed between two cylindrical perforated units there are providedtwo exits for the displaced miscella, resulting in the contained oil inthe mass having only to travel half the distance through the compressedmass undergoing squeezing in order to find an exit. By this expedient,lower pressure can be employed.

(c) Frictional heat generated with the apparatus is minimized on accountof the fact that the impeller only impinges on the material at the timeof initial entry and packing.

Whilst the apparatus has been described for use in connection withextracting liquid from liquid bearing material it is to be understoodthat it may be employed for the extraction of fats which are normallysolids but liquid under the conditions of extraction.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for extracting liquid from liquid bearing material,including in combination a pair of coaxial cylinders, at least one ofwhich is ported for the escape of liquid, an upper portion of the innercylinder extending into the confines of a lower portion of the outercylinder to form an annular space defined by the overlap between saidinner and outer cylinders, said annular space terminating at its lowerend in an annular outlet, closure means for the upper end of the innercylinder, and an impeller in the form of a cylindrical sleeve, extendinginto the confines of an upper portion of the outer cylinder and havingits lower end terminating adjacent said closure means and above andadjacent the upper end of said annular space, said sleeve having itslower end cut away as a single convolution of a pitch effective toprovide communication between the inside of said sleeve above saidclosure means and the annular space as herein before defined.

2. An apparatus for extracting liquid from liquid hearing material,including in combination a pair of coaxial cylinders, at least one ofwhich is ported for the escape of liquid, an upper portion of the innercylinder extendmeme ing into the confines of a lower portion of theouter cylinder to form an annular space defined by the overlap betweensaid inner and outer cylinders, said annular space terminating at itslower end in an annular outlet, closure means for the upper end of theinner cylinder, an impeller in the form of a cylindrical sleeve, havingan external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of theouter cylinder, extending into the confines of an upper portion of theouter cylinder and having its lower end terminating adjacent saidclosure means and above and adjacent the upper end of said annularspace, said sleeve having its lower end cut away as a single convolutionof a pitch effective to provide communication between the inside of saidsleeve above said closure means and the annular space as herein beforedefined, means to rotate said impeller, a stirrer disposed immediatelyabove said closure means, and means for regulating the pressureresistance to axial displacement of material within the annular spacebetween said coaxial cylinders.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number Number UNITED STATESPATENTS Name Date De Simmone June 28, 1921 Kutschbach Mar. 6, 1928Sohler June 5, 1928 Wilson July 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country DateItaly Sept. 30, 1865 France Dec. 17, 1902 France Feb. 3, 1908 GreatBritain Mar. 18, 1940

